1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to additives for gasoline and diesel fuels, and more particularly to a catalytic clean-combustion-promoter composition to improve fuel efficiency and reduce air polluting effects of liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "Clean Air Act" sets the standards for nitrogen oxide (NO.sub.X) and particulate matter emissions from fuels. The Clean Air Act was amended in the Fall of 1990 to limit pollution from 189 toxic substances. Focusing on toxicity and exposure potential, the EPA has designated the following chemicals as toxic enemies No. 1 through 17: benzene; cadmium and its compounds; cyanides; dichloromethane; lead and its compounds; mercury and its compounds; methyl ethyl ketone; nickel and its compounds; tetrachloroethylene; toluene; 1,1,1-trichloroethane; trichloroethane; and xylene(s).
Carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) emission contribute to the "greenhouse effect". Nitrogen oxide (NO.sub.X) emissions are related to high combustion temperatures associated with higher oxygen levels, and contribute to the production of "photochemical smog". It is known that particulate matter emissions can be decreased by reducing the sulfur content of fuels. Gasoline and diesel fuel additives are also known, which, when added to the basic engine fuel, will improve fuel efficiency and reduce air polluting effects of the fuel. There are several patents on such additives. However, many of these compositions contain chemicals identified by the EPA as posing the greatest threats to human health and making them unsuitable or illegal to use.
Fenske, U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,827, discloses a fuel composition for diesel engines, where he uses an aliphatic nitro-compound selected from the class consisting of nitro-alkanes, alkyl nitrates, alkyl nitrites, and nitro alcohol nitrates as an ignition promoter and in the ratio of from about 0.5% to 1.5% in volume (5,000 to 15,000 parts per million).
Calvino, U.S. Pat. No. 3,163,504, teaches the use of alkyl pyrrolidone as an inhibitor of aqueous haze formation in the ratio of from about 1.0% to 2.0% in volume (10,000 to 20,000 parts per million).
Michaels, U.S. Pat. No. 2,900,297, discloses a fuel composition which uses nitroparaffin compounds blended with gasoline and a liquid ester lubricant. The present invention, on the other hand, utilizes nitroparaffin compounds only as combustion supporters for gasoline and diesel fuels.
Eckerd, U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,360, discloses the use of nitropropane combined with calcium compounds to reduce smoke emissions. The calcium sulfonate used by Eckerd creates deposits which cause plugging of the fuel injectors in a combustion engine, and results in reduced engine efficiency and increased emission of air pollutants.
Simmons, U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,626, discloses a diesel fuel additive which uses an iron salt of an aromatic nitro acid as ferrous picrate, and a nitro aliphatic compound as 1-nitropropane blended with an aromatic petroleum solvent as xylene, toluene, etc., to increase the fuel's combustion. The xylene and toluene compounds utilized by Simmons are now forbidden by the EPA "Clean Air Act" as amended in 1990. The present invention, on the other hand, utilizes nitroparaffin compounds as combustion supporters for gasoline and diesel fuels and contains none of the toxic chemicals referred to in the 1990 "Clean Air Act" amendment.
Gonzalez, U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,434, discloses a catalytic additive composition for combustion engine fuels which includes benzene, toluene, or xylene, and methyl ethyl ketone. These compounds are now forbidden by the EPA "Clean Air Act" as amended in 1990. The present invention, on the other hand, contains none of the toxic chemicals referred to in the 1990 "Clean Air Act" amendment.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a chemical clean-combustion-promoter composition for use with finished gasoline and diesel fuels in compression ignition engines and spark ignition engines to improve fuel efficiency and reduce air polluting emissions. The chemical clean-combustion-promoter compositions utilize ketones as solvents, alcohols as cosolvents, nitroparaffin compounds as combustion supporters, and, to promote the chemical reactions, a catalytic medium is used. When all the compounds are combined in the recited quantities, the chemical bonding of the carbon molecules with the oxygen molecules is increased during the combustion process, thus, producing a synergistic effect, which increases the combustion characteristic of the fuels to be burned and reduces the tendency of the fuel to create deposits, and therefore reduces the CO.sub.2 and NO.sub.X emissions, and increases the fuel economy. Engines operating with the chemical clean-combustion-promoter compositions added to the fuel do not require the use of fuels with a high cetane or octane number for maximum performance. The additives are employed in microvolumetric concentrations ranging from 670 to 1,350 parts per million by volume of engine fuel. The present chemical clean-combustion-promoter compounds meet the standards of the EPA "Clean Air Act" as amended in 1990 for emissions from liquid hydrocarbon fuels .